New Luanda FBO Responds to Booming Angolan Economy

Angola’s booming economy, which saw 10-percent growth in gross domestic product last year driven largely by new oil discoveries and reconstruction after the southwest African country’s long civil war, is driving a rapid expansion in business aviation activity. In response, local handling and aircraft management group Bestfly has opened the country’s first real FBO at Luanda International Airport. It is building a 21,500-sq-ft hangar that it expects will be ready in July. The FBO, which is on the south side of the airport and separate from the main passenger terminal, currently receives an average of 10 flights per day. A Bestfly spokeswoman told AIN that the company has made a significant investment in ground support equipment to be completely self-sufficient, given the somewhat limited handling infrastructure. She said that flight permits for Angola take about 10 hours to process and that the company can help with arrangements for fuel and catering.

The company also provides handling services at Catumbela, and it supervises ground support through local agents in Cabinda, Lubango, Ondija, Namibe and Benguela.

Bestfly, which manages a fleet of nine business jets, was founded in November 2009 by a former NetJets pilot and ex-NetJets Europe customer service representative.